DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen was questioned by the police today over an alleged act of vandalism by the youth members of the party.

The cops had asked him for a statement when he accompanied the same party members to the police station.

Kuching North City Hall (DBKU) late yesterday afternoon filed a police report that “several red-shirted youths belonging to a political party” had put up “Chinese characters” on several roads in the Kuching city centre. 

The “vandalised” roads signs are in the predominantly Chinese areas of the city.

Sarawak DAP committee member Julian Tan told FMT it was the state’s culture to road signs in dual languages in parts where the business community is mainly Chinese.

“This is especially so for Jalan Main Bazaar, which is a major tourist spot with the oldest Chinese temple in Kuching located there,” he said.

Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang accused DAP of “playing politics with racial tones” by the act of putting up Chinese translations for the road signs.

Lo, who is also the Padawan municipal council chairman, said if the DAP stunt was for political mileage and win votes in the coming state elections, it was “a stupid act indeed”.

Lo said DAP’s actions had sparked unnecessary debate with racial undertones on social media.

“(It) is so un-Sarawak. We dont need such political games here.”

He said DAP should keep its “toxic tactics” for the peninsula instead of employing them in Sarawak. 

“We are a multi-racial state and we have a great example to show to the rest of Malaysia and even the world of our unique harmony. So why spoil it?

“DAP should not forget that Sarawak comprises many other races – Chinese, Malays, Dayak, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu etc.

“Appreciate what we are enjoying. Let us remind ourselves not to take the peace and harmony in Sarawak for granted.

“Don’t bring this kind of political  culture to harmonious Sarawak.” 

In response to DAP’s argument that road signs should be in the various main languages spoken in the state, Lo said there were road signs in Chinese in Sibu and  Miri.

“Padawan also has those. (But) no one should turn this issue into a political one.”

Meanwhile, State Assistant Islamic Affairs Minister Abdul Rahman Junaidi, in a late afternoon press conference, said DAP’s antic could cause racial tensions. 

He said the DAP youth members had breached Section 103(3) of the Local  Authorities Ordinance 1996 and the Local Authorities (cleanliness) By-law 1999.

They could be jailed for up to a year, he said. “They just do not have respect for the law.”

He said the road signs were in Bahasa Malaysia because it was the national language and understood by all Malaysians. 

Chong’s special assistant, Brolin Nicholsion, said the city road signs should be in least four languages.

“If we talk about multiracial, we must also not forget about other languages,” he said. – August 21, 2020.